ClarinetFest® 2016, Day 1: Greetings!

ClarinetFest® 2016, Day 1: Greetings!

ClarinetFest® is upon us once again, hosted by the historic University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kansas. TheUniversity of Kansas was established in 1891 as one of the first national institutions to offer professional degrees in the arts, making it an appropriate site for this year’s “Inspirations” ClarinetFest® 2016 theme. This year the fest is focusing on five great clarinetists who inspired the creation of our greatest repertoire. These clarinetists are 18th-century Anton Stadler; 19th-century Heinrich Baermann, Johann Hermstedt and Richard Mūhlfeld; and 20th-century Benny Goodman. Performances and clinics will highlight the lives, careers and legacies of these clarinetists throughout the festival. There will be additional “inspirations” to be found throughout the conference, one being a concert series called Forgotten Gems. This series will highlight works for clarinet that have been forgotten or overlooked and will be reintroduced to the clarinet community on Friday and Saturday in the Swarthout Recital Hall.

The festival is made possible by the support of the ICA’s generous sponsors. Be sure to attend some of the very ambitious and unique sponsored concerts throughout the festival:

Buffet Crampon will be hosting an opening reception on Wednesday, August 3rd at 8pm at the Oread Hotel (5th terrace, room 521) showcasing new instruments and accessories including their Tradition and Prodige models. The reception will include performances from the artistic design team and Buffet Crampon artists.

Additionally, you can meet the sponsors in person by exploring the exhibit hall, which opens on Thursday! See the new products on display and chat with vendors to find the best gear and equipment for you. As always, have a wonderful ClarinetFest® and keep your eyes on this page to catch up on the events that you may miss during the conference. Happy Festing!